Path Press published for the first time the complete manuscript of Ven. Ñāṇamoli’s translation of the Majjhima Nikāya, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, one of the major collections in the Sutta Piṭaka.

The experts do not say that one is a sage in this world because of view, or learning, or knowledge, Nanda. I call them sages who wander without association, without affliction, without desire.The Buddha, Sn.V.8.2 (1078)

nyanasuci wrote:Path Press published for the first time the complete manuscript of Ven. Ñāṇamoli’s translation of the Majjhima Nikāya, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, one of the major collections in the Sutta Piṭaka.

Thank you for that fascinating historical document. Bhikkhu Bodhi's footnotes in the published Middle Length Discourses by Nanamoli and Bodhi often comment on Ven Nanamoli's original text, and it is interesting to see the context. For example, in MN1, the final version is:

“Here, bhikkhus, an untaught ordinary person, who has no regard for noble ones and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, who has no regard for true men and is unskilled and undisciplined in their Dhamma, perceives earth as earth....

And Bhikkhu Bodhi comments:

Ñanamoli reads the ablative suffix -to of the Pali as signifying derivation and translates the phrase: “From earth he has a percept of earth.”

It is interesting to see the whole sentence of the draft:

Here, Bhikkhus, an untaught ordinary man who has no regard for the Noble Ones and in uncoversant with their True Idea and undisciplined in it, who has no regard for True Men and is unconversant with their True Idea and is undisciplined in it: From earth he has a percept of earth, he conceives [that to be] earth, ...

Yes, it is quite interesting too look into Ven. Nanamoli's original translation. He was really very good translator, and it is quite unfortunate that he didn't live long enough to finish it.

The publisher of Path Press Publications is also interested to prepare a typescript of the manuscript because Ven. Nanamoli's new style is quite remarkable. If anyone is interested to type some of these sutta, let me know.

Bhikkhu Hiriko - Ñāṇasuci

The experts do not say that one is a sage in this world because of view, or learning, or knowledge, Nanda. I call them sages who wander without association, without affliction, without desire.The Buddha, Sn.V.8.2 (1078)

Preparing a typescript of the manuscript sounds like a long-term project. Does Path Press have any plans to make the manuscript available as a CD or as an e-book in the interim? If so, I'd love to order a copy.

The experts do not say that one is a sage in this world because of view, or learning, or knowledge, Nanda. I call them sages who wander without association, without affliction, without desire.The Buddha, Sn.V.8.2 (1078)